Portable rotary brush



May 28,

R. A. DUNNAM PORTABLE ROTARY BRUSH Filed April 28. 1937 Patented May 28,1940 PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE ROTARY BRUSH Richard A. Dunnam, Dayton,Ohio, assigner of one-half to Jesse N. Armstrong, Dayton-OhioApplication April 28, 1932, Serial'No. 139,371

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable rotary brush or the like and oneobject of the invention is to provide such a device which will besimplein construction, of light Weight and easily manipulated while rotating.

A further object of the invention isto provide simple and eicient meansforrotatably mounting a brush head on a non-rotatable support and forrotating the same with relation thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in whichthe brush maybe quickly and easily mounted on or removed from thesupport.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary hair brush ofsuch a character that it will have no parts which are liable tocatch'and pull the hair during the brushing operation.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the device is described indetail.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 isa longitudinal section takencentrally through a brush embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a'section taken on the line3-3 of Fig.,1; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1; andFig. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of a brush embodying a modifiedform of the invention.

In this drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of the invention andhave shown the same as designed primarily as a hair brush. It Will beunderstood, however, that by changing the character and arrangement ofthe bristles, orby substituting for the bristles other projectingelements, the device may be used for various brushing operations or forsimilar operations, such `as massaging.

The brush head is rotatably mounted upon a non-rotatable support whichis provided with a hand grip by means of which the device as a whole maybe supported and manipulated while the brush head rotates on thesupport. In the particular construction here illustrated the support isshown as a tubular member III provided on one end portion thereof with ahandle lI I. 'The brush head, which is shown'at I2, maybe rotatablymounted on this support in Vany suitable manner but preferably it ismounted on a suitable frame which in turn is rotatably mounted upon thesupport. In the present instance, this frame comprises a cylindricalbody portion I3 `and endv members I4 and I5. The frame may be mounted onthe support and connected with the rotating means in any suitable mannerand in the arrangement shown the end member I4 is rotatably mounted onthe tubular support I0,- preferably (cl. -1s3) by means of ananti-friction bearing IB. The end member I5 of the frame is rigidlyconnected with and supported by the inner end of a shaft I1 which isrotatably ymounted in the tubular support Ill and which constitutes therotating means '5 for the frame and brush head. The shaft II may beconnected with any suitable actuating device orsource of power butpreferably it is connected with a source of power, such as a motor,mounted independently vof the device itself and for that purpose theshaft I'I is hereshown as provided with a flexible shaft extension I8,by means of which it may be connected with the motor.

The brush head I2 may be Vof any suitable character and its constructionand shape will depend in part upon the character ofthe frame on which itis mounted. In the present instance, it is cylindrical `in form and tssnugly about the cylindrical frame Vand, as here shown, it is'providedwith relatively long bristles I9 of such a `character andso spaced as toadaptthe brush for the brushing of hair. In order that the brush headmay be readily cleaned or another brush head substituted therefor meansare provided for detachably securing the brush head to the rotatableframe. In thearrangementshown inFigs. 1 and2 the brush head is dividedlongitudinalinto two parts, Yeach substantially semi-circular in crosssection, and means are provided for detachably securing the two parts intheir assembled relation on the frame. Thissecuring'means may takevarious lforms but ashere shown the ends of the two 4parts of the brushhead are of reduced thickness to provide the head with longitudinallyextending flanges 20. The end member .I4 of the frame is provided withan annular retaining member 2| adapted to overlie the adjacent portions20 of the two parts of the brush head, this annular Vmember being in thepresent instance formed by providing the end member Ill with an annularrecess-into which the adjacent parts v20 of the brush head extend. Theframe is provided at its other end with a second retaining device whichis here shown in the -form of a cap 22 having'an annular portion orfiange 23 yadapted to overlap the adjacent portions of the two parts ofthe brushhead. This retaining device 22 is movable with relation to theframe so that it may be moved out of engagement with the brush head topermit the two yparts of the lat- 50 ter to be separated and'removedfrom the frame.

In the present construction it is connected with the frame by a`plurality of rods-24 which are rigidly secured at -their outer ends tothe retaining device 22 4and which extend through the openingsv `55.

25 in the end member I5 of the frame. Springs 26 are coiled about therespective rods 24 and conlined between the end member and suitablestops, such as nuts 21, on the inner ends of the rods, so that theaction of the springs tends to move the retaining device into, and toretain the same in, its operative position in engagement with the brushhead. The retaining device 22 and its connecting rods 25 are capable ofa limited rotary movement with relation to the frame, the openings 25 inthe end member I5 being here shown in the form of arcuate slots topermit of this rotaryv movement. Means are also provided for holding"the retaining device 2'2 in its outer or inoperative position while thebrush head is being removed from or placed on the frame and for thispurpose the retaining device has secured thereto one or more short rodsor pins 28 of such a length that when the retaining device is in` itsoperative position they will extend into openings 29 in the end memberI5, but when the retaining device is moved to its inoperative positionthey will be withdrawn from the openings 29 and may be moved out of linewith those openings by a slight rotary movement of the retaining deviceand will thus engage a solid part of the end member of the frame andwill hold the retaining device in its inoperative position. Thismovement may be imparted to the retaining device in any suitable manner,as by grasping the handle II in one hand and the brush head in the otherhand and exterting a longitudinal thrust on the brush head which willmove the same lengthwise of the frame and thus force the retainingdevice 22 to its inoperative position, a slight rotary movement beingthen imparted to the brush head with relation to the frame to lock theretaining device in its inoperative position, the frame being heldagainst rotation during this movement by means of finger pieces 30 onthe end member I4. The movement thus imparted to the retaining devicewill space the same such a distance from the retaining member 2i thatthe two parts of the brush head maybe separated and removed between theretaining devices. When the brush head has been replaced upon the frameand engaged with the retaining device 2I a slight rotary movementimparted to the retainingdevice 22 will bring the pins 28 into line withtheir openings and the springs will move the retaining device to itsoperative position, thereby attaching the brush head to the frame forrotation therewith.

It will be obvious that the retaining devices may take various forms andin Fig. I have shown a slightly modified form of the brush in which themovable retaining device is shown at 3l as having screw threadedconnection with a boss 32 projecting from the end member I5, whereby itmay be moved lengthwise of the frame to cause it to engage or disengagethe brush head. 'I'he retaining member 3| may of course be entirelyremoved from the supporting frame and this permits of the brush head 33being formed as a one piece cylinder which may be slipped lengthwiseonto and ofi of the frame I3 after the retaining device has beenremoved.

It will be noted that in both forms of the device the parts 2| and 23 ofthe retaining devices are flush with the outer surface of the brush headand fit snugly against the ends of the brush head, and that theretaining members themselves are of a smooth continuous form, so thatthe revolving structure has no part, opening or crack which would tendto catch the hair and pull the same while the device is in use. The

device as a whole is relatively small and compact in form and may bemade of very light material, such as an aluminum alloy or a phenolcondensation product. Thus it can be very easily manipulated withouttiring the operator. Further, the device comprises a relatively smallnumber of parts and these are of such a character that the device can beproduced at a relatively low cost, largely by casting.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wishit to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the detailsthereof as various modioations may occur toa person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what lI claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a portable rotary brush, a support, a frame rotatably mounted onsaid support, a brush head mounted on said frame for rotation therewith,and divided longitudinally into a plurality of separable parts, saidframe having at one end thereof an annular retaining member to engag-ethe adjacent ends of the several parts of said brush head, a retainingdevice mounted at the other end of said 'frame and having an annularportion movable into and out oi engagement with the adjacent ends ofsaid parts of said brush head, spring means for connecting saidretaining device with said frame, said spring means and said retainingdevice being capable of a limited rotary movement with relation to saidframe, said retaining device having an element to engage one part ofsaid frame and hold said retaining device normally against rotation withrelation thereto and to engage another part of said frame when saidretaining device has been rotated and hold the latter in an inoperativeposition with relation to said parts of said brush head, and means forrotating said frame.

2. In a portable rotary brush, a rotatable frame comprising spaced endmembers, means for rotating said frame, a brush head removably mountedon said frame for rotation therewith, devices carried by said frame toretain said brush head thereon, at least one of said devices beingmovable relative to said frame, and a spring arranged between said endmembers and resiliently connecting said movable device with said frameto hold said device normally in retaining engagement with said brushhead.

3. In a portable rotary brush, a rotatable frame comprising spaced endmembers, means for rotating said frame, a brush head removably mountedon said frame for rotation therewith and comprising a plurality ofaxially divided separable parts, devices carried by said frame to retainsaid brush head thereon, at least one of said devices being movablelengthwise of said frame, a rod secured to said movable device,extending through the adjacent end member and having a part forming anabutment, and a spring coniined between said abutment and said endmember.

4. In a portable rotary brush comprising a rotatable element and meansfor rotating the same, a hollow brush head removably mounted on saidrotatable element for rotation therewith, devices carried by saidelement and engaging said brush head to retain the latter on saidelement, at least one of said devices having a part which is movablewith relation to said element, and yieldable means acting on saidmovable part to hold the same normally in retaining engagement withsaid. brush head.

5. In a portable rotary brush comprising a rotatable element and meansfor rotating the same, a hollow brush head removably mounted on saidrotatable element for rotation therewith, devices carried by saidelement and engaging said brush head to retain the latter on saidelement, at least one of said devices having a part which is movablewith relation to said element, and yieldable means arranged within saidelement and acting on said movable device to move the latter to and holdthe same normally in retaining engagement with said brush head.

6. In a portable rotary brush comprising a rotatable element and meansfor rotating the same, a hollow brush head removably mounted.

on said rotatable element for rotationtherewith. devices carried by saidelement and engaging said brush head to retain the latter on saidelement, at least one of said devices being movable with relation tosaid element into and out of retaining relation to said brush head andalso being rotatable with relation to saidv element, yieldable means formoving said device to retaining position, and means controlled by therotation of said device to hold the same in releasing position.

` 7. In a portable rotary brush comprising a rotatable'element and meansfor rotatingthe same, a hollow brush head removably mounted on saidrotatable element for rotation therewith and comprising a plurality of.axially divided separable parts, said element having a flangeoverlapping one end of said brush head, a member supported by saidelement for movement axially thereof and having a flange overlapping theother end of said brush head, and yieldable means for holding saidmembers in said overlapping position, said member being Irotatable withrelation to said element when moved from said overlapping position, saidmember and said element having parts arranged to be brought intocooperating relation by the rotation of said member to hold the latteragainst movement by said yieldable means. y

RICHARD A. DUNNAM.

